Spirit Bear and Me

I never knew I had a face
till through a glass darkly
it smiled wanly back,
looking over my shoulder
to a grey photo past
barely contained
in the core of my head.

I never knew I had two hands
till I dug in black earth
to search for a root
which had no ending
though I dug deep
and reached all the way down
to a grey photo past.

I never knew I had a life
till the Spirit Bear led me
through forest floor
to the edge of night river
where his reflection was huge
and we stood there together
in a grey photo past.